Hoofdklasse Honkbal
(Redirected from Dutch Major League)
The Hoofdklasse Honkbal, Dutch for Major League Baseball, is the highest level of baseball in the Netherlands and is overseen by the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation. Payment players receive greatly vary, depending on the club's budget. It is an eight team league that plays a 42-game schedule played mostly on weekends, with the season running from April to September. At the end of the season the top four teams qualify for the playoffs which culminates in the Holland Series. Both of the playoff rounds are best-of-five. For many decades, the league followed a promotion and relegation system with the Overgangsklasse (Transition Division), which is between the Hoofdklasse and Eerste Klasse (First Division) in which the last place Hoofdklasse team plays the Overgangsklasse champion; the format changed in 2022, with it becoming a "closed league". Many of the official team nicknames contain the name of the club's corporate sponsor.
Current Teams[edit]
Franchise | Official Team Name | City | Stadium |
---|---|---|---|
Amsterdam Pirates | L&D Amsterdam | Amsterdam | Loek Loevendie Ballpark |
Neptunus | Curacao Neptunus | Rotterdam | Neptunus Familie Stadion |
Oosterhout Twins | De Glaskoning Twins | Oosterhout | Sportpark De Slotbossetoren |
DSS/Kinheim | DSS/Kinheim | Haarlem | DSS baseball field, Pim Mulier Sportpark |
Hoofddorp Pioniers | Hoofddorp Pioniers | Hoofddorp | Sportpark Pioniers |
HCAW | HCAW | Bussum | Rob HoffmanVallei |
Quick Amersfoort | Quick | Amersfoort | XLLease Park |
Storks | Silicon Storks | The Hague | Sportpark Kijkduin-Schapenatjesduin |
List of Holland Champions[edit]
- 1922: Quick Amsterdam
- 1923: Blauw-Wit Amsterdam
- 1924: Ajax Amsterdam
- 1925: Quick Amsterdam
- 1926: AGHC Amsterdam
- 1927: AGHC Amsterdam
- 1928: Ajax Amsterdam
- 1929: SC Haarlem
- 1930: SC Haarlem
- 1931: Blauw-Wit Amsterdam
- 1932: Blauw-Wit Amsterdam
- 1933: VVGA Amsterdam
- 1934: SC Haarlem
- 1935: Quick Amsterdam
- 1936: HHC Haarlem
- 1937: Blauw-Wit Amsterdam
- 1938: Blauw-Wit Amsterdam
- 1939: Seagulls Amsterdam
- 1940: SC Haarlem
- 1941: SC Haarlem
- 1942: Ajax Amsterdam
- 1943: Blauw-Wit Amsterdam
- 1944: Blauw-Wit Amsterdam
- 1945: Blauw-Wit Amsterdam
- 1946: Blauw-Wit Amsterdam
- 1947: Schoten Haarlem
- 1948: Ajax Amsterdam
- 1949: OVVO Amsterdam
- 1950: OVVO Amsterdam
- 1951: OVVO Amsterdam
- 1952: OVVO Amsterdam
- 1953: OVVO Amsterdam
- 1954: EHS Haarlem
- 1955: OVVO Amsterdam
- 1956: Schoten Haarlem
- 1957: Schoten Haarlem
- 1958: EDO Haarlem
- 1959: EHS Haarlem
- 1960: Schoten Haarlem
- 1961: Schoten Haarlem
- 1962: EHS Haarlem
- 1963: Sparta Rotterdam
- 1964: Sparta Rotterdam
- 1965: Haarlem Nicols
- 1966: Sparta Rotterdam
- 1967: Sparta Rotterdam
- 1968: Haarlem Nicols
- 1969: Sparta Rotterdam
- 1970: Haarlem Nicols
- 1971: Sparta Rotterdam
- 1972: Sparta Rotterdam
- 1973: Sparta Rotterdam
- 1974: Sparta Rotterdam
- 1975: Haarlem Nicols
- 1976: Tetramin Nicols Haarlem
- 1977: Tetramin Nicols Haarlem
- 1978: Wera Kinheim Haarlem
- 1979: Amstel Tijgers Amsterdam
- 1980: Amstel Tijgers Amsterdam
- 1981: Kok Juwelier Neptunus Rotterdam
- 1982: Haarlem Nicols
- 1983: Haarlem Nicols
- 1984: Haarlem Nicols
- 1985: Haarlem Nicols
- 1986: Cleo Tijgers Amsterdam
(Holland Series instituted at this point)
- 1987: Detach Pirates Amsterdam
- 1988: Opel Nicols Haarlem
- 1989: Opel Nicols Haarlem
- 1990: Tas Detach Pirates Amsterdam
- 1991: Levi's Neptunus Rotterdam
- 1992: Install Data ADO Den Haag
- 1993: Levi's Neptunus Rotterdam
- 1994: Boom Planeta Kinheim Haarlem
- 1995: Levi's Neptunus Rotterdam
- 1996: Mr. Cocker HCAW Bussum
- 1997: Minolta Pioniers Hoofddorp
- 1998: Mr. Cocker HCAW Bussum
- 1999: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam; Boom Planeta Kinheim Haarlem tied with Neptunus for the regular season title
- 2000: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2001: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2002: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2003: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2004: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam; Mr. Cocker HCAW Bussum won the regular season title
- 2005: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2006: Corendon Kinheim
- 2007: Corendon Kinheim
- 2008: L&D Amsterdam Pirates; Corendon Kinheim won the regular season title
- 2009: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2010: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2011: L&D Amsterdam Pirates; DOOR Neptunus won the regular season title
- 2012: Corendon Kinheim; L&D Amsterdam Pirates won the regular season title
- 2013: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2014: DOOR Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2015: Curaçao Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2016: Curaçao Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2017: Curaçao Neptunus Rotterdam; L&D Amsterdam Pirates won the regular season title
- 2018: Curaçao Neptunus Rotterdam
- 2019: L&D Amsterdam Pirates; Curaçao Neptunus Rotterdam won the regular season title
- 2020: Cancelled after two games due to COVID-19 resitrctions; Curaçao Neptunus Rotterdam won the regular season title
- 2021: L&D Amsterdam Pirates; Curaçao Neptunus Rotterdam won the regular season title
- 2022: HCAW; Curaçao Neptunus Rotterdam won the regular season title
- 2023: L&D Amsterdam Pirates; Curaçao Neptunus Rotterdam won the regular season title
Famous Players[edit]
- Marcel Joost
- Evert-Jan 't Hoen
- Rikkert Faneyte
- Rob Cordemans
- Dirk van 't Klooster
- Roel de Mon
- Hamilton Richardson
- Han Urbanus
- Charles Urbanus Jr.
MVP (AKA Balink Award)[edit]
- 1953: Henk Keulemans, Schoten 2B
- 1954: Han Urbanus, OVVO P
- 1955: Han Urbanus, OVVO P
- 1956: Herre Kok, Ajax
- 1957: Joop Geurts, Schoten C
- 1958: Piet de Nieuwe, KDO
- 1959: Ge Oosterbaan, EHS
- 1960: Henk Keulemans, Schoten 2B
- 1961: Han Urbanus, OVVO P
- 1962: Boudewijn Maat, Schoten
- 1963: Hamilton Richardson, Sparta OF
- 1964: Herre Kok, Ajax
- 1965: Herman Beidschat, Haarlem Nicols P
- 1966: Hamilton Richardson, Sparta OF
- 1967: Ade Fijth, HCAW
- 1968: Hamilton Richardson, Sparta OF
- 1969: Hamilton Richardson, Sparta OF
- 1970: Hudson John, Storks
- 1971: Fred Beckers, Sparta
- 1972: Hamilton Richardson, Sparta OF
- 1973: Charles Urbanus Jr., OVVO
- 1974: Hamilton Richardson, Sparta OF
- 1975: Berry Eijgendaal, ADO
- 1976: Boudewijn Maat, Haarlem Nicols
- 1977: Harm Horeman, Schoten
- 1978: Jim Sieval, Amstel Tijgers
- 1979: Paul Smit, Amstel C
- 1980: Ed Tromp, Neptunus
- 1981: Ed Tromp, Neptunus
- 1982: Marcel Joost, Haarlem Nicols
- 1983: Bill Swiacki, Sparta (first foreign MVP)
- 1984: Paul Smit, Amstel C
- 1985: Bill Groot, Haarlem Nicols
- 1986: Charles Urbanus Jr., Amstel Tijgers 2B
- 1987: Rikkert Faneyte, Amsterdam Pirates
- 1988: Judsel Baranco, Almere Giants '24
- 1989: Rene Rijst, Kinheim
- 1990: Scott Khoury, Amsterdam Pirates
- 1991: Frans Groot, HCAW/Tijgers P
- 1992: Darryl Brinkley, Kinheim
- 1993: Ken Brauckmiller, ADO P-1B
- 1994: Arnold Jakoba, ADO
- 1995: Jeffrey Cranston, HCAW
- 1996: Mike Crouwel, Kinheim
- 1997: Mike Crouwel, Kinheim
- 1998: Elston Hansen, Amsterdam Expos
- 1999: Rikkert Faneyte, Amsterdam Expos
- 2000: Robert Eenhoorn, Neptunus
- 2001: Marcel Joost, Kinheim OF
- 2002: Sidney de Jong, Kinheim C
- 2003: Jurjan Koenen, HCAW 3B
- 2004: Gregory Halman, Kinheim 1B
- 2005: Dirk van 't Klooster, Neptunus OF
- 2006: Tjerk Smeets, Kinheim C
- 2007: Fausto Álvarez, Amsterdam Pirates DH
- 2008: Mark Duursma, Pioniers C
- 2009: Ryan Murphy, Pioniers 1B-P
- 2010: Bryan Engelhardt, Kinheim OF
- 2011: Vince Rooi, Amsterdam Pirates SS
- 2012: Rob Cordemans, Amsterdam Pirates P
- 2013: Bas de Jong, Amsterdam Pirates OF
- 2014: Bas de Jong, Amsterdam Pirates OF
- 2015: Dashenko Ricardo, Kinheim C
- 2016: Nick Urbanus, Amsterdam Pirates 2B
- 2017: Danny Rombley, Amsterdam Pirates OF
- 2018: Dwayne Kemp, Neptunus 3B
- 2019: Gilmer Lampe, Amsterdam Pirates OF
- 2020: Victor Draijer, Pioniers OF
- 2021: Denzel Richardson, Amsterdam Pirates OF
Pitcher of the Year[edit]
- 1953: Han Urbanus, OVVO
- 1954: Han Urbanus, OVVO
- 1955: Han Urbanus, OVVO
- 1956: Jan Smidt, HBC
- 1957: Han Urbanus, OVVO
- 1958: Han Urbanus, OVVO
- 1959: Herman Beidschat, EHS
- 1960: Herman Beidschat, EHS
- 1961: Herman Beidschat, EHS
- 1962: Herman Beidschat, EHS
- 1963: Herman Beidschat, EHS
- 1964: Herman Beidschat, Haarlem Nicols
- 1965: Herman Beidschat, Haarlem Nicols
- 1966: Rudi Dom, Sparta & Herman Beidschat, Haarlem Nicols
- 1967: Rudi Dom, Sparta
- 1968: Rudi Dom, Sparta
- 1969: Flip le Cuivre, Sparta
- 1970: Herman Beidschat, Haarlem Nicols
- 1971: Herman Beidschat, Haarlem Nicols
- 1972: Jan Dick Leurs, Haarlem Nicols
- 1973: Charles Urbanus Jr., OVVO
- 1974: Jan Dick Leurs, Haarlem Nicols & Ferry Neuteboom, ADO
- 1975: Charles Urbanus Jr., OVVO
- 1976: Douglas Morton, Haarlem Nicols
- 1977: Douglas Morton, Haarlem Nicols
- 1978: Nol Beenders, Kinheim
- 1979: Martin Ronnenbergh, Giants Diemen
- 1980: Charles Urbanus Jr., Amstel Tijgers
- 1981: Steve Donovan, Neptunus
- 1982: Craig McGinnis, Giants Diemen
- 1983: Haitze de Vries, Haarlem Nicols
- 1984: Craig McGinnis, Giants Diemen
- 1985: Craig McGinnis, Giants Diemen
- 1986: Craig McGinnis, Giants Diemen
- 1987: Harry Koster, Neptunus
- 1988: Haitze de Vries, Haarlem Nicols
- 1989: Eric de Vries, Neptunus
- 1990: Eric de Vries, Neptunus
- 1991: Frans Groot, HCAW/Tijgens
- 1992: Peter Callenbach, Pirates
- 1993: Patrick Klerx, ADO
- 1994: Jan van Gorkum, HCAW
- 1995: Eelco Jansen, Kinheim
- 1996: Geoffry Kohl, Neptunus
- 1997: Jurriaan Lobbezoo, HCAW
- 1998: Jurriaan Lobbezoo, HCAW
- 1999: Rob Cordemans, Neptunus
- 2000: Patrick Beljaards, Kinheim
- 2001: Patrick de Lange, HCAW
- 2002: Rob Cordemans, Neptunus
- 2003: Rob Cordemans, Neptunus
- 2004: Eelco Jansen, Neptunus
- 2005: Rob Cordemans, Neptunus
- 2006: Diegomar Markwell, Neptunus
- 2007: David Bergman, Kinheim
- 2008: Rob Cordemans, Sparta/Feyenoord
- 2009: Ryan Murphy, Pioniers
- 2010: Leon Boyd, Neptunus
- 2011: Rob Cordemans, Amsterdam
- 2012: Rob Cordemans, Amsterdam
- 2013: Rob Cordemans, Amsterdam
- 2014: Kevin Heijstek, Amsterdam
- 2015: Rob Cordemans, Amsterdam
- 2016: Kenny Vandenbranden, Neptunus
- 2017: Rob Cordemans, Amsterdam
- 2018: Diegomar Markwell, Neptunus
- 2019: Lars Huijer, Pioniers
External Links[edit]
- Honkbalsite (in Dutch)
- Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation (in Dutch)
- Grand Slam Stats & News (in English) and (in Dutch)
- Dutch Baseball Hall of Fame
- Dutch Baseball Hangout (in English)
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